Phillip is a very close friend of mine - we met years ago when our kids went to the same school, and I’ve seen firsthand how devoted he is as a father. When Hurricane Ian struck in 2022, Phillip lost everything: his home, his job, and eventually his family. His wife left, taking their son with her, and Phillip was left to rebuild his life from scratch. For 18 long months, he fought tirelessly to regain visitation rights and finally, in the summer of 2025, he was granted 50% custody of his son.

But just as things were starting to look up, tragedy struck again. On December 30, Phillip’s ex-wife had the police come to his house and take his son away. The reason? His little boy, now 9 years old, was afraid to return to his mother’s home, where her new husband has been abusive. Despite speaking to the police, his school principal, and counselor, no one has stepped in to help, and Phillip’s son was forced to go back to a place where he doesn’t feel safe.

Phillip is desperate to protect his son, but fighting for custody is incredibly expensive. He’s still paying back friends from the last legal battle, and now he needs to come up with a retainer just to get a lawyer to take the case. We need to raise these funds as soon as possible to help Phillip keep his son safe. Every little bit helps, and if you can’t contribute, please consider sharing this fundraiser. Your support could make all the difference for a father and son in urgent need.